In The Queen's Presence
by Lady Stranger
Summary: The blonde watches as Regina falls into depression with Snow and David not accepting her as Emma's lover. So the young sherif decides to do something about it. SQ (One Shot)


I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**In The Queen's Presence**

**One Shot**

To say that love made her do reckless things, is an absurd understatement. Slaying a dragon when she had no knowledge whatsoever in the subject was reckless. Pulling the brunette out of a burning house was reckless. Going against a raging mob. Sparring with a wraith. Greg. Tamara. Cora. Reckless, reckless, and even more reckless.

She never saw it as reckless, though. No matter how much in danger she was, it was always about the other person she was saving. Of course. She was the savior. She was just being her overly chivalrous self, saving, assisting, defending for the weak and needy. Except Regina Mills wasn't weak nor needy. Regina Mills was her secret lover.

They'd been seeing each other ever since Emma had stepped into Storybrooke. The blonde had stumbled her way to Regina's mansion; can in hand, and had confessed that she found Regina to be, "The most beautiful woman I've ever seen my entire life, and that's with your clothes still on." She had been completely, and utterly drunk with every meaning of the word. Drunk as a fish is on water.

"Well, isn't that interesting." Regina had said, "Very interesting. Would you like to taste my forbidden fruit, miss Swan?" To which she had received a feverish nodding, and then the evil queen had no time to prepare the poisoned fruit; Emma was on her lips, on her neck, on her hardened nipples. Clinging to her; outside and inside.

Regina, however, had had plenty of time to prepare her sleeping curse during the numerous times the blonde had lied on her bed. Butt naked, asleep, and thoroughly fucked. It was those times when she had been the most vulnerable, and it is those exact times when Regina never had thought about hurting the younger woman. Eventually, those times became all the times.

Such a simple misunderstanding had led them to be the night lovers they had become. Regina was thankful for that mistake, and Emma needn't know it had ever took place. Yes, they were night lovers. The secrecy had added to the excitement. Or up until a moment when one Snow White walked into the police station, finding one Regina Mills straddling one Emma Swan with her tongue half way down her daughter's throat.

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me, Emma! She's the evil queen. No matter how many times we gave her second chances, she screwed them all up. She killed, tortured, and destroyed lives before. There's no way I'll ever approve of this." Snow yelled through uncontrollable sobs. This was her baby daughter she had lost to said evil queen, and now she was losing her to the same woman. Again. For the life of her, she didn't know why this was happening to her.

"Emma," David started.

"Don't," She shook her head, "Nothing you say will make me break up with Regina. If we did break up, and I'm hoping against hope that we don't, it will be because of our reasons and not yours or Snow's."

"But listen to me, Emma. She's not good for you. Baby-"

"Don't. We're not doing this, David. It's still too weird."

David swallowed the lump in his throat, and willed the hurt not to affect his convincing abilities. He was, after all, Charming, and if there was one thing he was good at, it was that he knew how to Charm people. "We just want what's best for you, and trust me," He shook his head, "Trust US when we say this, but Regina is not what's best for you. No matter how much you look at it, this whole situation is pretty messed up, and complicated."

"Emma, listen to your father." Snow said in-between sniffs.

"Maybe," Emma calmly said. "But the way I see it, it's really not that complicated. Two people fell in love, and now they want a chance at their happy ending." Her voice was low, exhausted, and it was evident that she had given up the notion of convincing her parents. It was already hard for her to forgive them to begin with. No matter what they did to soften the blow of abandoning her at birth, she still felt bitterness whenever they expected her to listen to their advices. Correction; their orders.

"Please reconsider this, Emma." Snow said, "We love you, honey, and don't want to see you get hurt."

"If you don't want to see me get hurt, then you better accept Regina as my lover."

David shifted his weight from right to left leg, and sighed. "We can't do that."

"Well, that's too bad." Emma said through hooded eyes. "I was hoping you guys loved me enough."

One year later, and they still didn't accept Regina as Emma's lover.

* * *

"Hey," Emma greeted as she leaned down to place a kiss on her lover's forehead. "I missed you. What were you doing all day?"

Regina groaned, burying herself deeper inside the covers. "I've been doing stuff."

"Like lying in bed all day long?" Emma chuckled, reached for the covers, and yanked. "There you are," She breathed out, staring into Regina's beautiful browns. She noticed how the brunette was very much awake, but she was still the same as she left her this morning. Naked, marked, and completely spent.

"I missed you, too." Regina said, her eyes boring into her lover's. She wanted to ask Emma to move away from Storybrooke, but like every time that idea popped into her mind, her insecurity would grab it and choke it into submission. It would say, "Perhaps another time," and Regina would listen to it.

"Want to have lunch at Granny's?" Emma asked, knowing the answer and the excuse she was about to receive. But today, she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"I don't know about that," Regina started, "I'd prefer to eat your mac and cheese, my dear." She reached for Emma's cheeks, and traced her features.

"We had mac and cheese yesterday, and the day before that. It's time you got out of bed, and out the house." Emma playfully bit Regina's index that had found its way to her lips.

"Did they change their minds about me?" Regina asked, knowing full well that 'they' didn't.

"Maybe," Emma played along, "We'll have to go out if we want to make sure. Plus," She started, "You shouldn't care what others think of you. I should be the only one that matters."

"And Henry," She quickly added.

She really was trying to not care what others thought of her, but it was difficult when 'others' were literally everyone else in town for the exception of Emma and Henry. At least that's what she thought, or what it felt like.

Looking at Emma trying so hard to make room for her in this world was just heartbreaking. It was the only reason why she, herself, hadn't broken to pieces ages ago. All this redemption she was doing, was making her happier each and every day, but she was also more depressed each and every day. Once she let the guilt in, everything else was a faint memory she had no idea how to recollect. She was slowly suffocating, and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Sure," She said. For you, I would do anything. Emma deserved to be happy, if only for just an hour at Granny's. "Let me get dressed, and I'll be out in a few minutes." She smiled.

Emma's smiled widened, "Really!?" She beamed. When she received a firm nod from Regina, she made out with her for a good 15 minutes before she let her get dressed. That was how happy she was, or at least that's how happy she seemed.

* * *

It was alright. Not too many people tried to pick a fight with her, and not too many people tried to start a real conversation with her. There were the looks, if we're being honest, sometimes looks are all it takes to set someone's day in the wrong direction. She would endure it, though. She would endure it until she had the courage to ask Emma to go away with her. That day will come. It's just not today.

They exited Granny's diner, and were met with Snow. "Regina," the petite woman started. She was trembling as she spoke, and it set the older woman off. "M-maybe we should put our differences behind, and try to be civil. For my daughter…for Emma."

Regina rolled her eyes, "I'm always civil, dear."

Snow nodded, "Yes, of course."

Emma stared at her mother, "There's no use, Mary Margaret. Just let me enjoy the rest of the day with my Regina."

Snow cringed at Emma's possessiveness, but relented surprisingly fast. "Fine," She said, and caught Regina's eyes one last time before she entered Granny's diner.

"What's wrong with your mother?"

"I have no idea. Sometimes she's really weird. I don't get her." Emma flaunted some of her favorite excuses, and dismissed the encounter altogether with a swaying hand.

Regina was convinced, and just shook her head in amusement. Or at least she pretended to be convinced.

* * *

_"Are you sure, dear?" Gold had sounded way too amused, but he was awkwardly displaying some sort of affection towards the blonde. Like what she was about to do was going to hurt her, and he cared if she was hurt or not. "This changes everything." He told her, "And I'm not sure if you can handle the change."_

_"I'm sure." She said, "What's your price?" She asked._

_"No. No no. I won't ask for anything. Magic has a price, and I'm not willing to pay for this particular spell."_

_She nodded, "Would true love's kiss break it?" She asked._

_Gold flailed a hand, "True love's kiss is the most powerful of all." He said, but Emma didn't miss the hesitance in his voice._

_"Then I'm ready." Emma told him, grabbed the potion, and drank it all._

_"When will it work?" She asked._

_"When you wake up tomorrow." He told her, his brows knitted together. "Good luck, dearie. You're going to need it."_

* * *

"Henry," Emma called, "Hey buddy."

"Mom, hey." He said tirelessly, his ears covered with headphones, and he was playing online. Her beautiful teenager boy, Emma thought. Already tired of his mother, and of her. The love was still there, though. He still loved them both very much.

"Kid, just spare me an hour a day. That's all I ask. I never get to spend time with you anymore."

"What?" He yelled, "Sorry, mom. This is the important part." He said, and continued shooting at zombies. They all looked the same to Emma, so she didn't understand what the 'important part' was.

"Fine," She said, and placed a kiss atop his head.

"Eww," he said.

"Hey! You're just 13, you little rascal!"

"I'm almost 14!"

She shook her head, and sighed. "You got 10 more minutes before we go home, Henry."

"Uh, I think I want to stay with grandma tonight." He said, "She told me to go and stay with mom, and so I think she's depressed. She never tells me to stay at mom's."

Emma smiled at her son's reasoning. He was such a good boy, and apparently, he will always be one. His heart was still innocent despite the obnoxious attitude he'd picked up in the past year or two. "Alright," She told him, "Stay with grandma."

She went to her room, and locked the door behind her. She had to call Snow, who was working late at school. She needed to say those words, before she can't no more.

She hit dial, and Snow picked up after the 3rd ring. "Emma," She said, "What's wrong?"

The blonde chuckled, "Why would there be anything wrong?"

The petite teacher sighed, "So, you're still going to leave Regina?"

Emma flinched, "Yes. I'm still going to leave her tonight."

"Oh, okay. I'm so proud of you, Emma. My beautiful daughter." Snow said, sounding that she had tears in her eyes.

"I'm not that beautiful, Mary Margaret."

"Yes you are!" Snow told her, "You're my baby, and I think I would know if you were the prettiest girl in the world or not."

"Have I mentioned that I'm proud of you?"

"Yeah, just now." Emma chuckled.

"Well, I'm proud of you, Emma. And not just because you're doing the right thing by leaving Regina. But because you're brave, smart, and above all, honest."

Emma closed her eyes, "Mary Margaret," She started.

But before she could say those words, Snow cut her in. "Oh, I have to go. Someone needs my help. I'll be home in an hour."

"Wait."

"Your father's going to pick me up, and-"

"-Wait!" Emma said, "I need to tell you something."

"Emma?" Snow sounded worried. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. It's just," She trailed, thinking hard about her next words. It shouldn't be this hard to say, and plus, she had already said them once before when the town was on the verge of collapse.

"It's just that I'm going over to Regina's, and Henry's staying over at your house. Just wanted to let you know."

"Oh, that's quite alright, honey."

"And Mary Margaret?" It's now or never.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"I love you, mom."

"Oh, Emma!"

"Tell dad I love him, too."

* * *

She went back to Regina's, her head thumbing in agony. The potion was working, and she had no time to waste. She needed to be next to her lover, and to be held by those slender arms. There was no place else she'd rather be.

Entering Regina's bedroom, she saw the brunette fast asleep. Sleeping pills again, Emma thought. That was going to stop now. After Emma goes to sleep, she would wake up, and everything would stop. She would finally have Regina smile again, see her out under the sun again, and Regina was going to get what she deserved.

"Regina," Emma said, taking off her boots and jacket. "I need you to do something for me." She lied on the bed, and spooned the older woman. Her nose found Regina's hair, and she sniffed in her shampoo. The smell was alright, but she preferred Regina's natural smell.

"Regina."

The brunette groaned, much like she did when Emma found her this afternoon.

"I love you, you know that right?"

Regina hummed, "I know, Emma." She said after a beat or two, "I love you, too." She smiled, placed her hand atop her lover's, and brought her hand to her chest. "This," she said, "This beats for you."

Try as she might, Emma cried.

* * *

Morning came faster than Emma could get enough of Regina. But then again, Emma would never get enough of Regina. She stirred in bed, her arms searching for the brunette.

"Regina," She murmured.

"Emma," She heard her name, "What did you do?"

She opened her eyes, and Regina was standing by the door's frame. Her arms crossed, and face swollen with cries. "Tell me what you did." She ordered, her voice low, innocent, and lacked its sharpness.

The blonde smiled, stretching her back. "I drank a potion."

"What potion?" Regina asked, "What potion would do this!?" She fished in her robe pocket, and threw her phone at the blonde.

Emma evaded the device, then picked it up. She clicked the screen open, eyed the many missed calls and new msgs, and then read some of Snow's texts to Regina:

**#1: **

**Queen Regina, please come home. **

**#2: **

**My daughter is a waste of time, and I'm so ashamed of her. **

**#5**

**Queen Regina, please. **

**Emma cursed us all, and I can't handle losing you to her. **

**She's the evil witch, and I will have nothing to do with her! **

**#11**

**Regina… **

**We gave her every chance we could. She will never change!**

She closed the device, not bothering to look through David's texts. They'll be the same, she thought. She looked up, and found Regina studying her. Emma smiled at her lover, "It worked."

"What the hell did you do, Emma?" Regina was a pile of anger, hurt, and utter sadness. Never in her life had she imagined Emma would be this foolish. "Tell me what you did."

"I'm giving you a clean slate, Regina. A well-deserved one." She held her hand for Regina to take it, and the brunette shook her head.

"This feels all wrong…" She looked down, and let her tears fall freely. "Just tell me what you did."

Emma slid from under the covers, put her jacket back on, and grabbed her boots. She stalked towards the quiet brunette, tilted the older woman's chin with her free hand, and locked her eyes with Regina. "I took away all your sins. You never have to feel hated or blamed anymore. You will be loved-"

Regina slapped Emma across the face, "How dare you," She said, "How..DARE you!" Her hands shot up, and she pushed the younger woman away, "You had no right. This is my life, and I will handle it however I want. You think cause we're sleeping together, it means you get to…" She trailed, tears streaming down her face. She remembered. She wasn't this person anymore, and while it never hurt her to act the part before, now it just added to her desperation.

"Emma," She said, her voice low and shaky. "I don't want this for you. You don't deserve this."

"Neither do you," Emma said, "And I can't watch you be this depressed any longer. It was killing me, so I took care of it." She explained, like this was the most natural thing she'd ever done.

"WE should've taken care of it." Regina stammered, "WE should have…" She trailed, her mind going haywire. She knew she wanted to tell the blonde that they should've just moved away, but her tongue was heavy, and she felt her head lull backwards like she was about to fall.

Emma caught her, "I got you," She said, and helped the older woman to bed. She laid Regina on her back, and crouched down next to her.

"What's happening?" Regina choked out in-between heavy, deep breaths.

The blonde smiled down at her, "Don't fight it," She told her, "You're just beginning to forget like everyone else."

Regina gasped for air, and felt her lungs struggle to process the sudden oxygen intake. She shook her head, "No!" She shrieked, "I don't want to forget…"

Emma brought her lips to the older woman's forehead, and pressed a kiss. She lingered there, "Don't fight it," She whispered, "It'll hurt more if you do."

Regina closed her eyes, and listened to her lover's voice for the last time as she let sleep take ahold of her.

"Good girl," Emma whispered, pressing her lips to Regina's temple.

She stared at her lover for as long as she could, before she put on her boots and left the mansion. She knew she would have to get used to not being able to kiss those lips. The blonde sure as hell didn't want this spell to wear off now that Regina was about to have her new life.

She glanced at the mirror in her car, and nodded at herself. Regina would certainly look for her when she wakes up, and so Emma only had a couple of hours before she could disappear. Despite the change, everything was really the same. Snow and David were still her parents. Henry was still her son, and Regina was still her lover. Only now, Emma was the evil witch, and Regina was the queen again; and above all, she was the savior.

Certainly things did changed, but no one would know that Emma was always in the queen's presence. Everyone else just failed to see it.

* * *

A/N: I don't know if this was already written, but this story kept running through my mind, and I had to get it out.


End file.
